Leinster Schools Senior Cup semi-final: Terenure College 51 St Fintan’s High School 7
Ben Blaney played a captain’s role in leading Terenure to their first Leinster Senior Cup final since 2009 and end St Fintan’s brilliant run at the semi-final stage in Donnybrook on Tuesday.
The openside’s hat-trick and Ethan Balamash’s double were supported by further tries from Frank Maher, Josh Mooney, Benny Dohnal and Michael Kennedy
Terenure began by running purposefully out of defence, with lock Maher grabbing the first of their nine tries after a quick tap.
St Fintan’s short memory was helpful and they took the lead in the eight minute after eking out the hard yards before Michael Bolger dotted down for Ben Barnes to convert.
The ball-in-play time was high and Terenure would take the lead again in the 16th minute after centre Kennedy burst out of defence and winger Balamash tested Tadg Young in the tackle. Prop Pearse Kelly took the ball on and flanker Mooney completed a tremendous attack for Gareth Morgan to convert for a 12-7 lead.
The one-out runners were coming hard and fast for Blaney to score the first of his three tries from Jamie Coleman’s pass in the 23rd minute. Morgan converted to make it 19-7.
The nimble work of Blaney at the breakdown delivered a penalty and a maul which ‘Nure turned into their fourth try from Blaney’s finish in the right corner to make it 24-7 in the 26th minute.
They would claim a fifth before the break as brilliant ball movement between backs and forwards created a sliver of space for wing Dohnal to dive over at the corner for a 29-7 lead at the break.
St Fintan’s tried to build some momentum, with outhalf Barnes searching for gaps along the Terenure line, but there were precious few to exploit.
Back-to-back mauls put Terenure on the doorstep for captain Blaney to put down for his hat-trick in the 41st minute.
Oisín Kelly’s penalty to touch offered St Fintan’s an opening that was quickly closed, with Terenure storming from defence with a blur of offloads before Young intervened just in time.
Centre Alvaro Swords and Coleman took the direct route for Terenure’s next try, before Blaney sniped in behind and Kennedy was right there to finish. Morgan nail the conversion for a 41-7 lead in the 53rd minute.
At this point, St Fintan’s were being pulled left and right, and Balamash was next to get over after outhalf Morgan spun the ball out wide.
Terenure fans didn’t have to wait too long for the ninth, with Balamash popping up on the left to take advantage of Morgan’s exquisite crossfield kick.
SCORERS – Terenure: B Blaney 3 tries; E Balamash 2 tries; F Maher, J Mooney, B Dohnal, M Kennedy try each, G Morgan 3 cons; St Fintan’s: M Bolger try; B Barnes con.
TERENURE: G O’Sullivan; E Balamash, M Kennedy, A Swords, B Dohnal; G Morgan, J Coleman; P Kelly, L Zelman, A Cooper; L McNiff, F Maher; J Mooney, M Smyth, B Blaney (capt).
Replacements: E McMonagle for Kelly (33 mins); N Fallon for Dohnal (48); S Gavin for Mooney (54); D McKenna for Zelman, R O’Brien for Cooper, M Candon for Maher, A Boehm for Coleman, W O’Leary for O’Sullivan (all 60).
ST FINTAN’S: R O’Shea; T Young, M Haas, G Nostro, S O’Leary; B Barnes, O Kelly; T O’Connor-O’Hehir, L Macari-Kelly, P Palazzetti; R Harvey, M Bolger; L Sanfey, B Dillon, R O’Connor-O’Hehir (capt).
Replacements: Y Lin for Macari-Kelly (26 mins); J Burke for Barnes (42); H Curley for Sanfey (56); N Sheridan for Kelly, E Garvey for Haas, R Curley for O’Shea (all 66); M Burke for Palazzetti, F Cullen for T O’Connor-O’Hehir (both 67).
Referee: P Reidy (Leinster Branch).
